Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Retention

The author demonstrates remarkable strategic thinking and innovation in the way the ideas are presented, while also sharing an inspiring personal journey. The book is beautifully designed, concise, and packed with valuable insights. What makes this book particularly impactful is that its wisdom extends beyond a single field. The lessons and practical advice can be applied to business, leadership, interpersonal relationships, and even politics. The author's ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and precision makes the book both engaging and thought-provoking. I highly recommend this book to leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to broaden their perspective and improve their decision-making. It is a valuable resource that deserves a place on every leader's bookshelf.

I highly recommend this book for people who believe in the awesome power of generosity. From the moment I picked up Giftology -- and felt its smooth black cover -- I knew I was in for a memorable experience. The book is packed with fascinating stories and examples highlighting how the author, John Ruhlin, successfully grew his own business -- and the businesses of countless others -- through strategic gifting. Ruhlin sprinkles in Bible quotes -- such as “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” from Proverbs 11:25 -- revealing his deep faith in God as the divine source of his business philosophies. When gifting is done properly, he reminds us, it generates more than goodwill. It increases referrals, revenue, retention and ROI. Giftology shares the proven strategies Ruhlin has developed over a lifetime of gifting for connecting with people in powerful, meaningful ways. He explains exactly how he has formed long-term relationships with well-connected business leaders, going so far as to break down the step-by-step process he uses to make a lasting impression with a new acquaintance. The book provides valuable criteria for strategic gifting. Gifts should be best in class, personalized and visible (something the recipient is likely to use regularly). Gifts that meet these guidelines act as symbols of the relationship and spark conversations with friends and family about you and what you do. I decided to read this book because I know the value of relationships and I’m always looking for new ways to connect with others more deeply. It met my expectations by offering a lot of practical ideas about what to give, when to give, and how to create a budget for giving. Ruhlin recommends tangible luxury items with staying power over consumable gifts, like food, or experiences, like sports events. His reasoning is that he gets better results from gifts the recipient is likely to use every day. That’s why he believes classic Cutco knives engraved with the recipient’s name have been so effective over the years. He says that type of gift serves as a constant reminder of the relationship, while a fancy dinner or front-row seats at a basketball game are fleeting. Generosity definitely opens doors in life and business. I’m excited to use the strategies I learned in Giftology to give more meaningful, memorable, impactful gifts.

How many logo splattered mugs, key chains & ink pens do you receive every year from events or as gifts from companies? I’ve personally had to wait until my husband wasn’t home to make dozens of $1.98 coffee mugs with company logos on them “disappear” from my kitchen cabinet to have room for our regular dishes. But if a company sent us a nice set of coffee mugs (with no logo) that I would use to serve guest in my home, I would appreciate it and think of the company when I used them. This is the idea that John Ruhlin is driving home in his book, Giftology. He gives specific examples of how the art of gift giving can either leave a lasting impression for years to come or end up in a garage sale or in your kitchen junk drawer. And it has reminded me of the importance of the hand written note. I will be making that a priority in my business. For less than a dollar you can write a note and put a stamp on it. What you write in that note could be what seals a deal or simply brightens someone’s day. Giftology is more than just a concept for the business professionals to use when choosing a gift, it can honestly help anyone reevaluate how they choose gifts for anyone, for any occasion. You will begin to think of the person receiving the gift in a completely different way. Giving gifts will actually become fun. If gifting was ever a chore for you, do yourself a favor and buy this book. Everyone you shop for will thank you. Not just your clients, but your family and friends will think you hired a professional shopper. Giftologyy, changes the way you give, and the way they are received will bless you with a feeling like you just opened a gift on Christmas morning.

Reading Giftology may cause you to seriously reevaluate what kind of gifts you are giving to your family, friends, and business associates. Ruhlin gives us some guff for the gift cards we are so quick to give out that take such little thought. Are you giving out gifts to business partners with your company logo? Be prepared to hear some chiding about giving gifts that are more about YOU than it is about THEM. The message contained in this short read is about putting thought into your gift giving. It’s about making them feel special and doing something that not everyone else is doing. It’s getting away from the chocolates, cookies, and meat & cheese baskets around the holiday season. Ruhlin tells us that, “It’s NOT the thought that counts. It’s the thoughtful thought that counts.” Our author, who coined the phrase, states, “Giftology is rooted in the acknowledgment of someone’s time being the most precious commodity he or she has to share. We’ve all been given a ridiculously limited amount of it. So when someone shares it with you, let him or her know unequivocally how honored you were to receive it.” Giftology is about giving gifts when not expected. It’s about a gift in the middle of summer for no reason. Giftology is knowing the person you’re giving a gift to and not picking something that you might like. It’s giving something that is practical that can be used over and over, not like the trinkets many corporations give out that wind up being tossed or thrown in a junk drawer. There are some great quotes in this one like, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” - Mother Teresa “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” - Winston S. Churchill This book serves as a great reminder to be different and to stand out by showing you really care about those you’re saying thank you to. Will you get more mileage by giving out 100 gifts at $10 or by giving 10 gifts at $100? This book was published in 2016. It receives 4.8 stars from 203 Amazon reviewers. Goodreads gives it 4.05 stars after 130 ratings and 19 reviews. I recommend this for anyone looking to get out of the same gift giving routine and for anyone looking for some new ideas to show appreciation. #FridaysFind #MIAGD #Giftology #JohnRuhlin

Absolutely amazing. John truly captures not only the spirit behind giving, but doing it an artful and caring way. EDIT: After trying to eat and breath the principles in giftology for a few years now, I felt the need to edit my review to expand upon the impact it’s had on me. I firmly believe that everyone can benefit from this book. Whether it’s business relationships (getting a new, better job due years of small, unexpected gifts with colleagues and key contacts), intimate relationships (helping me craft the perfect gift for my fiancée and future bride for our wedding present - it’s going to blow her mind), or friendships and those you interact with daily (getting hundreds of dollars worth of free training from instructors at my gym after gifting small, inexpensive, but impactful gifts to each of them. These people have turned in to some of my greatest friends and will even be at my wedding), giftology holds the key to completely change your life. I truly believe that heartfelt, thoughtful, impactful gifting is the key to making your life better. I have personally used the principles here to help make my good relationships great, turned some bad relationships in to good ones, and made non-existent, potentially life-changing relationships appear out of thin air. I recommend it to almost everyone I meet, and that’s why I’m recommending it to you. Read this book. Apply its principles. Change your life.

I've heard about John and the idea of Giftology for about a year. But until reading the book - about 24 hours cover to cover - I didn't truly grasp the idea. Even now, I'm sure there are subtleties that will evolve as I build my gifting muscle. But I can see how this will set me apart and truly connect with my best clients-even my best potential clients. Handwritten notes, personalized gifts at unexpected times, and just making gifting and generosity a priority feels like the most enjoyable way I could possibly do business. I think the phrase that John used a few times that really hit home was a variation of "What's the most I can afford to do". I already have several things I can put into action this week. Amazing book - unique perspective on relationship marketing that I think works well for those of us who don't like to feel salesy and prefer to focus on service. It's not going to change my bottom line next month. But 1-2 years from now - game changer.

I first heard about this book while listening to an interview John gave on a podcast. I was very intrigued by what he said, and with the money-back guarantee, I decided to read it. I was super impressed when I received the book- the book itself is like a present! The cover is very luxurious, and I was immediately impressed because it shows that he practices what he preaches. Unfortunately, I did not get as much from this book as I had hoped. I feel like this book would be better for people who own companies, have clients, etc. I have neither of those. I was hoping to get some good ideas for creative ideas for friends and family, but seeing as how I don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend, this book didn’t help me very much. Honestly I feel like the only advice he gave for people in my situation (people on a budget), was to write them a hand-written note. In the future, hopefully I’ll be in a position where this book can be of more used to me. In the meantime, it was still cool to hear some of what he and his company have given for gifts.

On rare occasions I read a book that blows the lid off my thinking about a specific topic. Gifotology is that kind of book. I absolutely love this book and the values that John Ruhlin operates from with all his recommendations. I’ve known for a long time how important it is to express appreciation to those who’ve impacted my life in a positive way – especially through hand-written notes and thoughtful gifts. But John Ruhlin introduced me to several ideas that I’d never considered before. These are life-changing concepts, not just in the TYPES of gifts I choose to give in the future but in the way I THINK about gift-giving. Just one example: Think in terms of “radical generosity.” Ask yourself, “What’s the MOST I can do?” instead of “What’s the LEAST I can get away with?” The author doesn’t advocate breaking the bank, especially if you’re on a shoestring budget. But he does encourage you to always ask, “What can we buy that’s best in class that is within our budget?” This is a book that every business owner should buy and apply (at least those who want to be successful, that is). It’s that important, if you’re committed to creating strong relationships that lead to referrals and raving fans.

There are some really good ideas here. I wouldn't be surprised if some people call it a skimmer, but it's free through kindle unlimited and it's not a "skimmer", just a quick read. If you've ever recieved those "REDEEM you free gift now!!" Cards from Amazon orders I'm sure you never bothered, or you googled it to see if it was a scam (and had others tell you, not to bother). I've always wondered what the deal here was, and this book has given me a great understanding of how NOT to give out free gifts (by doing as I described, and looking cheap) and how you CAN give free gifts, strategically, in a way that will bring in more revenue than any advertising campaign. Worth a shot if you're thinking of starting a business, or frankly even if you're having troubles with interpersonal relationships. Thanks.

Really enjoyed this book and found its message - to give thoughtfully, unpredictably and creatively - a powerful one indeed. For years I have been struggling with the desire to express gratitude with more than just a "thank you" and the fear of going over the top. Now that I have read Giftology I feel so much more confident. This book has given me both the permission and the framework to express my gratitude in ways that will delight and surprise others. Any business benefit that this brings is, in my book, a bonus.

Amazing book and is recommended for all the people who wish to be successful. I hope the changes your life positively

Leek me een interessant boek, viel tegen. Niet veel meer op te vinden dan wat op de website staat. En daar hoef je niet voor te betalen.

Sinceramente eu nunca tinha pensado da maneira que o livro aborda a relação ideal com stakeholders. Eu achava que era um ótimo gestor mas após ler esse livro acabei me aperfeiçoando mais ainda e hoje já estou colhendo os frutos dos ensinamentos que constam nesse maravilhoso livro.